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Machining Lines Automation

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Springer Handbook of Automation

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Abstract

This chapter deals with automation of machining lines, sometimes called transfer lines, which are serial machining systems dedicated to the production of large series. They are composed of a set of workstations and an automatic handling system. Each workstation carries out one identical set of operations every cycle time. The design of transfer lines is comprised of several steps: product analysis, process planning, line configuration, transport system design, and line implementation. In this chapter, we deal with line configuration. Its design performance is crucial for companies to compete in the market. The main problem at this step is to assign the operations necessary to manufacture a product to different workstations while respecting all constraints (i.e., the line balancing problem). The aim is to minimize the cost of this line while ensuring a desired production rate. After a review of the existing types of automated machining lines, an illustration of a developed methodology for line configuration is given using an industrial case study of a flexible and reconfigurable transfer line.

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Abbreviations

CNC:

computer numerical control

COMSOAL:

computer method of sequencing operations for assembly lines

DTL:

dedicated transfer line

FMS:

field message specification

FMS:

flexible manufacturing system

FMS:

flight management system

FTL:

flexible transfer line

MIP:

mixed integer programming

PCI:

Peripheral Component Interconnect

RMS:

reconfigurable manufacturing systems

RMS:

reliability, maintainability, and safety

RMS:

root-mean-square

RPW:

ranked positioned weight

RTL:

register transfer level

TLBP:

transfer line balancing problem

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Genie Industriel et Informatique (G2I), Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne, 158 cours Fauriel, 42023, Saint-Etienne, France

    Xavier Delorme PhD

  2. Department of Industrial Engineering and Computer Science, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne, 158, cours Fauriel, 42023, Saint-Etienne, France

    Alexandre Dolgui PhD

  3. Department Centre for Industrial Engineering and Computer Science, Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne, Cours Fauriel, Saint-Etienne, France

    Mohamed Essafi MSc

  4. Peugeot SA, Hagondang, France

    Laurent Linxe

  5. PCI/SCEMM, 42030, Saint-Etienne, France

    Damien Poyard MEng

Authors
  1. Xavier Delorme PhD
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  2. Alexandre Dolgui PhD
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  3. Mohamed Essafi MSc
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  4. Laurent Linxe
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  5. Damien Poyard MEng
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xavier Delorme PhD , Alexandre Dolgui PhD , Mohamed Essafi MSc , Laurent Linxe or Damien Poyard MEng .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. PRISM Center, and School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, 315 N. Grant Street, 47907, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Shimon Y. Nof

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Delorme, X., Dolgui, A., Essafi, M., Linxe, L., Poyard, D. (2009). Machining Lines Automation. In: Nof, S. (eds) Springer Handbook of Automation. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78831-7_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78831-7_35

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-78830-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-78831-7

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